1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to stereoscopic image display apparatuses and, more particularly, to a stereoscopic image display apparatus suitable for computer graphics technology.
With recent development in computer graphics technology, it is required that display apparatuses be capable of displaying high-quality stereoscopic images.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a stereoscopic image display apparatus 10 according to the related art. In order to view a stereoscopic image, a viewer wears special glasses 11. The special glasses 11 have a right-eye liquid crystal shutter 12, a left-eye liquid crystal shutter 13 and a liquid crystal shutter driving unit 14. In cooperation with a two-dimensional image display unit 15 displaying right-eye image information 16 and left-eye image information 17 alternately, the right-eye liquid crystal shutter 12 and the left-eye liquid crystal shutter 13 of the special glasses 11 open alternately so that the viewer is able to view a stereoscopic image on the two-dimensional display unit 15.
FIGS. 2A and 2B show another stereoscopic image display apparatus 20 according to the related art. The stereoscopic image display apparatus 20 uses an image display unit 21 constructed such that a lenticular lens 23 formed of an array of longitudinally elongated cylindrical lenses is disposed on a display surface 22. The display surface 22 displays an image 26 comprising longitudinal stripes of a right-eye image 24 and a left-eye image 25. As shown in FIG. 2B, a light beam carrying the image 26 is refracted by the lenticular lens 23 so that the right-eye image 24 enters a right eye 27 of a viewer viewing the image display unit 21 and the left-eye image 25 enters a left eye 28 of the viewer viewing the image display unit 21. In this way, the viewer is able to view a stereoscopic image.
The conventional stereoscopic image display apparatuses 10 and image 20 have a drawback in that viewers viewing at different positions relative to the two-dimensional image display unit 15 or the image display unit 21 can only view the same stereoscopic image. A viewer moving in front of the two-dimensional image display unit 15 or the image display unit 21 can not recognize a variation in the stereoscopic image viewed. Accordingly, display of a realistic stereoscopic image that gives an impression that an actual three-dimensional object is present behind the screen of the two-dimensional image display unit 15 or the image display unit 21 is impossible.